3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 28
Summary
Trump said he turned down Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz immediately and restart peace talks within seven days, calling the terms unacceptable even as indirect talks are expected this week.
The offer, according to U.S. officials, would have required Washington to lift sanctions, release frozen Iranian assets and end the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Polls show most voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the war, think the United States is losing and blame the conflict for rising prices.
$7 diesel in farm-heavy battleground states has become a potent political liability, fueling Republican anxiety as some candidates increasingly urge the war to end quickly.
With five weeks until the midterms, Trump has suggested any acceptable agreement may come only after the election, tying the Iran conflict more tightly to Republican prospects.